Rising Mexican star shows off ring skills in TKO win

It might not have been his coming-out party. Gilberto Ramirez likely will have to wait for a bigger stage for that.

But the budding Mexican super middleweight star showed a crowd of about 1,500 fans at the Alamodome’s Illusions Theater and an HBO Latino television audience Saturday night just what all the fuss is about regarding one of boxing’s top young prospects.

Ramirez (30-0, 23 KOs) battered a tough but outclassed Fulgencio Zuniga (27-10-1, 24 KOs) of Colombia for the better part of eight rounds in earning a TKO victory to remain undefeated.

Referee Lee Rogers stopped the bout at the 2-minute, 20-second mark after a hailstorm of punches from the tall, lanky and talented Ramirez.

“This is about taking advantage of my opportunities to get more exposure,” Ramirez said in Spanish through an interpreter. “If I do that and perform well, the people will support me.”

A 6-foot-2 ½ inch southpaw with a 75-inch reach, the 23-year-old native of Mazatlan pounded Zuniga with tight, straight and powerful punches in a textbook display of boxing.

It may only be a matter of time before he hits the big time and earns a world title shot against the likes of Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

“I would love to get those kind of fights,” Ramirez said.

On the undercard, San Antonio lightweight Ivan Najera used a chance meeting with his ring idol, middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, as inspiration in a one-sided victory over Luis Cervantes (7-9-3, 2 KOs) to remain undefeated.

Najera (15-0, 8 KOs) battered Cervantes for the better part of eight rounds to win by unanimous decision.

There were no knockdowns, but Cervantes appeared dazed by fight’s end.

“I think this was my best performance,” said Najera, who met Cotto in the dressing room before the bout. “He was a very tough opponent. . . . He took everything I had.”